Howard County, MD

ZIP 21738

In ZIP 21738, 3 of the 12 things we check have at least one part graded D or F.

• Drinking water: Villas At Cattail Creek meets every EPA legal limit; 8 contaminants are above health goals, led by pfoa at 314× California’s Public Health Goal.
• Closer to Superfund sites than 0% of U.S. neighborhoods, with no listed site within 10 miles of its center.
• Largest share of modeled toxic air from industry: Elite Spice Inc. (59%), mostly ethylene oxide.
• Fine particles (PM2.5) average 6.9 µg/m³; the WHO guideline is 5 and the EPA annual standard is 9.
• About 35,799 kg of agricultural pesticides are applied in the county each year.

Grades for ZIP 21738

• Superfund sites nearbyA
• Factories and industrial sitesB
• Oil and gas wellsA
• Parks and nature nearbyC
• Air qualityB
• Drinking water qualityC to D
• Pesticide useD
• Neighborhood health statusB
• Past wildfire impactsA
• Past flood impactsB
• Noise levelsA
• Radiation signalsD

Based on 3 census tracts · compiled September 10, 2026 · how each grade works and its sources

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